MYSTHICON is a project founded in 2015, with a line-up that consists of experienced musicians from the Polish Metal scene. According to Metal Archives, all members are beholding some weird pseudonyms but inner notes says, they belong to the annal of VADER, LUX OCCULTA, HATE and BATUSHKA. It was also interesting to find out that they all have taken names which belong to some ‘Silvam’ root and matter of wonder, what that actually meant or connected to! With all that, in the summer of 2019, the group released their debut release – an EP, “Into The Dark”, where there was one composition and a cover of revered LUX OCCULTA. These Polish Metallers are back with their debut album “Silva – Oculis – Corvi” now, released by Witching Hour Productions. The music is a combination of classic Black Metal with elements of Death and Doom saturated with unusual parts of keyboard instruments, dynamic changes of tempo, as well as dipped with atmospheric and bizarre passages. The band does not bet on the characteristic speed of HATE or VADER, but on their melodic riffs. They play with elements of Death and Black Metal, but keeping measure, as in each song always go back for the dark and even melancholic transitions and movements. The faster sections of the songs have ample amount of blast beats along with some songs also adding in clean playing – which nowadays feels like an overworked blue print of making compositions. Apart from that, the most interesting thing belongs to the vocal arrangement, that is a mixture of Black Metal screams and Death Metal growls. ‘Absorbing The Light Of Fools’ is surely upholding all these characters. Regrettably, the whole record don’t have any straightforward track, without much interventions. With some relevant Doom Metal elements the track ‘Star Prophet’ is carrying some of the most intense moments of the album and from that the production closes with a cover of ‘Passing Away’, again a cover song from LUX OCCULTA, which proves their devotion to the group. The cover artwork fits the music and was created by Tomasz “Hal” Halicki (VADER). No wonder the whole production is very transparent and precise, what you can predict or should expect in a modern era. So, any fan of any of the named bands or such style in general, should find it worthy to explore. Check more details about the group and label here: www.facebook.com/mysthicon, www.witchinghour.pl